Lord of Rot

A raven flew overhead. Becky rose and put on her clothes, hiding her beautiful, curving figure.

She hurried into the castle, where she happened upon her brother, the future heir to Iron Stone Castle.

"What is it?" she asked.

Her brother looked grim. "A letter came from Porcupine Territory. It says Kolan Fosak stole something, grabbed a horse, and fled. They want us to inform Sir Clarence about this."

Fosak is a Knight of Iron Stone Castle. For the son of a Fosak Knight to commit theft is a complete disgrace to the Simon family!

Iron Stone City was one of the most prosperous towns around, a haven for pleasure-seekers. The amount of gold spent here daily was incalculable. It was no exaggeration to say it was hauled away by the cartload!

It was also the town with the most master blacksmiths. Compared to Porcupine Territory, the difference in wealth was like a lake to a water droplet.

Upon hearing the news, all her brother could feel was shame! Damn it all, what a disgrace!

"What do you plan to do?" Becky asked, suppressing a surge of joy. ’The method was a bit stupid, but Kolan finally did it!’

"I’m going to see Sir Clarence. I’ll also send men to capture Kolan and bring him back."

"Wait!" Becky called out to her brother. "Why not go find Sir Fosak instead?"

"Find *him*?" Her brother’s expression turned uglier. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to execute the entire Fosak family. There were few secrets among the nobility, and one of his own men came from a family of thieves that had forsaken its honor. How could he not be furious?

He suddenly stopped and looked at his sister.

He had recently heard some rumors that his sister was in the Little Pill business with Baron Porcupine. He’d looked down on such a paltry sum, so he hadn’t paid it any mind or interfered.

Kolan Fosak going to serve in Porcupine Territory had been strange from the start. And everyone in the castle knew about Kolan and Becky!

Putting together Kolan’s theft and escape from Porcupine Territory with Becky’s attempt to intervene, the answer became self-evident.

"Fine!" he stressed. "You handle it! Kolan must be caught! I’m going to see Sir Clarence."

After all, she was his own sister. He didn’t care about Baron Porcupine, but appearances had to be maintained.

Becky watched her foolish brother’s retreating back. "Have Sir Fosak take some men to retrieve Kolan," she said to the person beside her. "We must get that recipe."

「Iron Stone City, the Scholar’s Tower.」

Leech was flipping through a book in his hands.

This was a biographical novel about harpies. The book presented three theories about the origin of harpies.

First, that harpies are terrifying monsters hatched from the chaos of a magical fount, but they have no intelligence.

Second, they are the children of the Sky God and the Eagle God. The Sky God is not one of the mainstream Divine Spirits of the Lu Leiyi Continent, so Leech didn’t know much about it. But he knew of the Sky God and the Eagle God—they were the same god. ’Self-sufficient? A closed-loop system? Impregnating itself?’ He really couldn’t make sense of mythology.

Third, that harpies are simply a type of Magical Creature, no different from Griffins, Lizardmen, and the like. The only difference is that every harpy has the face of a devastatingly beautiful woman.

Leech was more inclined to a combination of the first and third theories. However, he wasn’t clear on how harpies reproduced. According to his research, a harpy’s upper body was that of an exquisite woman, but the lower body lacked reproductive organs. They most likely laid eggs.

Besides them, Lizardmen were a relatively common type of Magical Creature whose tracks had never vanished from the Lu Leiyi Continent. For example, in the marshlands of his maternal grandfather’s Green Forest Castle territory, creatures like Fishmen, Lizardmen, and Frogmen would appear.

The little blue-skinned monster was called "Gabalin." They had a fast reproduction rate, giving birth to ten in a litter, strong survival skills, and intelligence roughly equivalent to a three- or four-year-old child.

They were not closely related to humans, but like Giant Dragons, they had no reproductive isolation. In other words... they could impregnate anything they caught.

’What would be born from a Gabalin and a harpy? I suddenly really want to find out.’

Fortunately, he was clear-headed enough to dismiss the idea.

Besides, he hadn’t come to the Scholar’s Tower just for this.

"Sir Clarence," a Taven Scholar approached, holding a stack of materials. "Magical Curiosities, you see, are not actually that rare. The storehouses of some great families contain Magical Curiosities. They are formed through all sorts of coincidences and possess mystical powers. However, with the decline of the Magic Era, they have gradually lost their abilities."

"So you’re saying, as long as Magic returns, those Magical Curiosities can regain their unique abilities?"

"Magical Curiosities are a gift from the world. Even if Magic returns, it would only form new Magical Curiosities. It wouldn’t revive old ones that have lost their power."

"Is that so? What a pity."

They chatted for a while longer. After Leech took out a gold Jinri and bought a large pile of books outright, the Taven Scholar’s enthusiasm soared to new heights.

Leech even got some contacts from the Taven Scholar. As long as he paid enough, he could easily assemble a Magic Firearm Team. The only thing was, he wouldn’t be shooting bullets—he’d be shooting gold!

’The Porcupine Clan prioritizes cost-effectiveness above all else, so a Magic Firearm Team is out of the question.’

After leaving the Scholar’s Tower, he headed to a tavern in Iron Stone City. Although the scantily clad, gaudy women on the streets were tempting, and he was on the verge of going in a few times, he managed to restrain himself.

A chaste noble male also had his value. Besides, Leech was afraid of getting a disease. ’Can Magic really cure AIDS?’

’Not a gamble I’m willing to take.’

Joe had already finished his work and was in the tavern drinking and chatting with his men.

Although Leech once again dangled a Silver Moon in front of the tavern owner, he only received a few lukewarm recommendations for talent.

"The young lady of the Oysters was kidnapped by bandits. She escaped eight months later with a big belly. They say she’s very good at business."

’Her role would overlap with Joe’s. Rejected.’

’Besides, Porcupine Territory is in its development phase. I can’t have my people taking maternity leave.’

"The leader of Iron Stone City’s Black Ox Gang had one of his legs broken. He wanders the slums every day. His management skills are said to be very strong."

"The blind blacksmith Pandere is out of work." But she was blind—how could she forge iron?

All in all, there was no real talent to be found.

After eating and drinking their fill, the group went back to their lodging to rest. It was a house Leech had kept from his last visit to Iron Stone City, where Joe and the trade caravan would stay.

However, he was surprised when, not long after they arrived, Baron Simon’s son showed up.

Leech recalled the illegitimate son Sidor Sea Water’s past evaluation of Baron Simon’s two children.

’The son is all about keeping up appearances. He’s somewhere between mediocre and useless. If he stays out of business, the wealth of Iron Stone Castle is enough for him to squander for a dozen lifetimes. But if he gets into business, it’s hard to say. He could probably lose the entire fortune of Iron Stone City in a few years.’

’The daughter, "Charming" Becky, fancies herself a clever prostitute, willing to use any chip to win. In reality, by messing around indiscriminately, she has already squandered her most precious chip—her status as a baron’s daughter—without even realizing it.’

The saying "seeing is believing" was true. After meeting him in person, Leech found Sidor Sea Water’s words to be accurate. This guy was just a rich heir, and a remarkably mediocre one at that.

’You can be arrogant and haughty. Even with no ability, if you have money and power, you can still attract a following of sycophants.’

’Or, you can be patient and forbearing, but decisive and ruthless in action. With money and power, you can command even greater talent.’

’But then there are people like Baron Simon’s son—ordinary. Just too ordinary.’

The visitor came to tell Leech that Kolan Fosak had stolen something from Porcupine Castle and fled.

He also swore an oath, guaranteeing that he would capture Kolan Fosak and bring him back.

Leech simply said that Kolan must be handed over to *him* to be dealt with.

「Meanwhile.」

On horseback, Kolan Fosak had already reached a road near Pig Spine Valley. Ahead, five riders waited for him, led by none other than Sir Fosak.

His horse’s hooves slowed, gradually coming to a halt. He stared expressionlessly at the five people opposite him.

From among the five, a female Knight rode forward. "Kolan, where is it?"

Kolan Fosak’s fate was sealed, but they had to secure the item first.

Sir Fosak looked at his son and sighed, but didn’t speak. As a Knight, he had to obey orders. Besides, from what Becky had implied, as long as the item was handed over, Kolan wouldn’t be in too much trouble. At worst, they would pretend they couldn’t catch him and let him run, as long as he never returned to the vicinity of Pig Spine Valley.

The expressionless Kolan lightly squeezed his horse’s flanks. The horse carried him toward the female Knight. The moment he was close, he suddenly drew his sword.

A flash of steel, and a head went flying.

"Kolan!!"

The remaining four were stunned. They never expected Kolan Fosak to attack a Knight from Iron Stone City.

But Kolan paid them no mind. He gripped the reins, stabbed his sword into his horse’s rump, and listened to its pained whinny. The horse’s hooves thundered against the ground as he charged toward the four of them.

Two Knights from the opposing group closed in from the left and right, but they never imagined Kolan would draw another sword. Wielding two blades, he sent two more heads flying.

But he, too, was run through the chest by two swords, knocked clean off his horse.

"He’s mad! Mad!" Only Kolan’s father, Sir Fosak, remained.